---

Bahr, Nelson and Sabraski Top Border Battle Day Two

SUPERIOR, Wisc. (07/02/20) - Though there were nearly the same number of cars in competition on the second day of the annual Lake Superior Border Battle, the composition changed slightly as the Midwest Modifieds increased to 38 and the Modifieds increased to 39.

After qualifying heats and B Features that set the lineups for the feature events were completed, the first of six races took to the speedway.

It was 15 laps for the WISSOTA pure Stocks. At the green flag outside pole sitter Dusty Caspers took the lead with Aaron Bernick, James Vendela along with Cory Jorgensen giving chase. Caspers held onto the lead until there were two laps left. He had opened up a long lead, but the absence of caution flags allowed the three chasers to cut into the lead and finally close up to within striking distance. With three laps left, Vendela suddenly encountered trouble and was forced to pull out. Jorgensen took advantage of
his mishap, pulled up on Caspers and got by with two laps remaining for the back to back win. Caspers, Bernick, Trevor Treviranus and Jared Akervik finished in the top five.

The first six laps of the 20 lap Midwest Modified feature were taken up by four of the six incidents in a caution filled event. Pole sitter Tony Bahr took the lead at the initial green flag with Aaron Blacklance, Jimmy Latvala, Mark Froehlich, Andrew Inman and Scott Splitstosser all in contention. Mike Widmann spun in turn four on the second lap. Bahr continued in the lead with Latvala taking second. Two laps later Froehlich spun collecting Blacklance. Froehlich was charged and sent to the rear. Bahr continued in the
lead and this time Inman was second ahead of Latvala, Corey Storck and Blacklance. Another two laps were completed when Mark Kangas found the first turn wall bringing out the third caution flag. The next caution flag flew on the restart when Brady Uotinen and Justin Jones clashed in turn two. The incident was charged to Uotinen. With 14 laps still remaining, racing resumed with Bahr still on top. The next caution flag would not appear for another 11 circuits, so Latvala. Storck, Ryan Gierke, Splitstosser and Blacklance continued to chased Bahr. Things settled down after the fourth caution flag, while on the move was Skeeter Estey up from 12th to sixth.

Latvala maintained second for several laps until Inman got past to second. Also making a charge was Cody Carlson from 19th to ninth. The fifth caution flag flew when Latvala spun in turn one and was hit by Gierke. Both were able to drive away and the incident was charged to Storck. Bahr was still strong at the restart and maintained the point, but the caution flag flew for the sixth and final time when Gierke spun in turn four. Bahr was able to lead the entire race despite the stoppages for the win. Estey finished second from 12th and Latvala survived to finish third. Inman and Splitstosser rounded out the
top five. Carlson’s run toward the front ended with an eithth place finish.

The 30 lap Modified feature featured a pair of local veterans on the front row. Darrell Nelson was the pole sitter while Al Uotinen started to his outside. Nelson grabbed the lead as Uotinen fell in behind. Dave Cain, Greg Chesley, Ashley Anderson and Brandon Copp, Ryan Gierke and Bob Broking were in the pack. While Nelson had a strong run in the lead, behind him there was a lot of maneuvering for positions. Cain soon took second and Anderson made his way to third. Uotionen fell into a battle with Chesley
while Copp, Gierke, Johnny Broking, Danny Vang and Shane Sabraski battled toward the front. It settled down with Nelson leading Cain, Anderson, Chesley and Uotinen in the front five. With 20 of the 30 laps complete, the only caution flag of the event flew for Jeff Tardy. Nelson continued his strangle hold on the lead chased by Cain. Bunching the field for the caution restart gave others a chance at advancement. Moving forward was Sabraski looking for another win, Dan Ebert from 17th and Mike Anderson from 16th. Sabraski ended up third, Ebert fourth and Ashley Anderson fifth.

It was Nelson’s first win in the Modified since 2018 when he won at the Northern Nationals.

Don Eischens started on the pole for the Super Stock 20 lap feature with Shane Sabraski on the outside. There was a caution flag on the first lap fro Kevin Salin who ended up resting along the wall in turns one and two. The restart saw Eischens held off Sabraski on the restart with Kevin Burdick third. Another quick caution flag appeared when Jamie Reberg hit the first turn wall. With one lap in, this time Sabraski took the lead with Burdick slipping past Eischens to second and Scott Lawrence to fourth. Curt Myers moved to sixth ahead of Doug Koski, Tristan LaBarge, Kyle Copp and Jim Campbell. Once Sabraski was in the lead the order seemed to settle down with no one in the top four moving. Andy Grymala got by Koski and pulled in behind Myers in fifth. Al the laps wound down, Lawrence got past Eischens to third. Caution number three flew for a Nick Jacobson spin which bunched the field. The restart came with five laps to go but it didn’t hold when there as a five car pileup in the first turn. The caution was charged to LaBarge. Sabraski continued to lead as Lawrence got by Burdick for second. The final caution flag flew for a Myers spin and the restart came with a white/green flag, a one lap dash to the finish. Sabraski sealed the win, Burdick got back by Lawrence for second, Campbell was fourth and Eischens hung on for fifth.

At this point, Sabraski needs to win on the fourth of July and he will receive the bonus for winning all three days.

Justin Pagones led the entire way to capture the Mod Four 15 lap feature. He survived two caution flags, one for a Tyler Larson spin in turn two and one for Jordan Fischer. Pagones held off Blake Erickson for the win. Robert Holdquist was third, Dustin Holdquist fourth and Larson rounding out the top five.

Brennan Schmidt held off a charging Dannie Burkholder to win the 12 lap Hornet main event. Carter Rieland, Kristy Marken and AJ House were top five finishers.

Back to News